Summer Means the Return of America's National Pastime in Palm Beach County

Summer Means the Return of America’s National Pastime in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County, FL-Palm Beach County is a nucleus for baseball, America’s national pastime, throughout the summer. More than 600 teams involving over 9,000 athletes will visit Palm Beach County to compete in 12 major baseball tournaments on a national, regional or state level. The players, coaches and general participants will occupy an estimated 9,400 hotel room nights and generate over $3.5 million of economic impact for the local community. Due to the outstanding baseball facilities, the tropical climate and a strong resume of prestigious baseball events, Palm Beach County has a competitive advantage when it comes to hosting baseball tournaments. The summer of 2012 could set records for the world of amateur baseball in the Palm Beaches, both on the field of play and off the field for the local economy.

Roger Dean Stadium, located in Jupiter, is home to the Florida Marlins and the World Series Champion, St. Louis Cardinals, during the Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training season. Roger Dean Stadium is one of the premier spring training baseball complexes in Florida, consisting of a 7,000 seat stadium and 12 ancillary fields, which makes it capable of hosting the nation’s largest tournaments. Palm Beach County is also home to the Santaluces Athletic Complex, the former spring training facility for the Montreal Expos. Located in Lantana, this complex maintains a quad of major league baseball size fields.

Both Roger Dean Stadium and the Santaluces Athletic Complex will host one of the largest baseball tournaments in the nation, the USA Baseball Junior Olympics, scheduled for June 23-30. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has partnered with USA Baseball to host the most prestigious baseball event in the nation for the 16 and 17 year old age group. USA Baseball uses this tournament to recruit and select players to compete on its national team, which will represent the United States during international play, including the International Baseball Federation’s World Championship. The USA Baseball Junior Olympics include more than 60 teams and 1,200 athletes, competing in 264 games. The event is expected to generate over 3,500 room nights and approximately $1.2 million in economic impact. USA Baseball is the national governing body for the sport, presiding over 12 million amateur players.

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission worked with Team One Baseball to bring four of its eight Under Armour Team One National Tournaments to Palm Beach County. Roger Dean Stadium will host the Under Armour Memorial Day Classic on May 25-28, the Under Armour Southeast Regional on June 8-12, the Under Armour Firecracker Classic on July 2-6, and the Under Armour September Showcase on September 21-23. Three of the national events are wood composite bat tournaments, attracting high level 18 & under and 16 & under travel teams from across the country. The September tournament is a competitive 14 & under and 16 & under tournament featuring teams from across the United States. Following this talent is a substantial number of MLB and collegiate baseball scouts. These tournaments should attract over 130 local and traveling teams, creating more than 1,200 room nights and $580,000 of economic impact for Palm Beach County

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has successfully won the bid for the World Scout League Finals, an inaugural event for Palm Beach County that has the potential to be one of the largest amateur baseball tournaments taking place in the nation in 2012.This new event is a 15-day baseball tournament scheduled to take place at Roger Dean Stadium and the Santaluces Athletic Complex from July 27 to August 10, 2012.The World Scout League Finals is anticipating the participation of at least 200 teams.These teams will compete in 5 age groups: 18u, 17u, 16u, 15u, and 14u.The tournament will be divided into 3 segments (18u & 14u from July 27- Aug. 1, 16u & 15u from August 2-6, 17u from Aug 6-10).The World Scout League is an amateur baseball league organized to provide consistent levels of competition for teams located in 40 different regions throughout the country. This great event for this evolving league will be one of the largest scouting attractions to take place in the world of amateur baseball.

Whether it is wood bats or metal bats, highly talented travel teams or little leaguers just learning to play the game, baseball fields across Palm Beach County will be active this summer. America’s past time will have a presence that is not easily replicated anywhere else throughout the United States. These baseball events promote Palm Beach County as an elite youth baseball destination and are significant contributors to the sports tourism industry.

For more information about amateur baseball this summer contact Kayla French at (561) 233-3122 or visit www.PalmBeachSports.com.

About Palm Beach County Sports Commission

The Palm Beach

For more information about amateur baseball this summer contact Kayla French at (561) 233-3122 or visit www.PalmBeachSports.com.

About Palm Beach County Sports Commission

The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the county as a sports and sports tourism destination.The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the county, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season) and maximizes utilization of county facilities.The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that supports its goals.Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners.The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches.For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission go to www.palmbeachsports.com.